Peace Like a River - Leif Enger

A beautiful, lyrical novel that speaks to faith, loyalty, love, and the miracles in our daily lives, I highly recommend this book.

We read Peace Like a River by Leif Enger for February book club and thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing was poetic and simple. Enger utilizes language in its truest form, making every word count as the story of the Land family graciously unfolds. Written through the perspective of 11 year old Reuben Land, who struggles with debilitating asthma his whole life; he offers a unique and maturing perspective on the gift of life. He also suspects that his father, Jeremiah Land, is touched by God and can bring forth miracles which only Reuben seems to notice. I find this ability to see his father’s humility before God that gives his father the ability to perform miracles both small and large, Reuben’s most endearing quality. Though surrounded by others when these many miracles occur as the family searches for Davy, their brother who has killed two individuals both as a hero and as a murderer, across the unforgiving Badlands of North Dakota, he seems to be the only one to not only “see” them but acknowledge them with the awe and gratitude deserving to an omniscient being who is leading them gently along. Reuben is most like his father in that respect, humble and submissive, recognizing that all good things are a gift. However, Reuben is resentful at times of his father’s abilities, particularly when he heals the pot-marked face of the Superintendent of the school who has belittled, degraded, and then publically fired Jeremiah. Reuben allows his heart to question why his father would heal such a hateful man, when his own son struggles for breath every day; that same breath that Jeremiah commanded enter Reubens lungs the day of his birth. However, Reuben comes to realize that part of the miracles his father performs is just as much about the “when” as it is the what and who. The beauty of this realization is that Jeremiah’s final miracle is the same miracle he performed when Reuben was born; the gift of breath, the gift of life, the gift of sacrifice, and the gift of love. I feel only Reuben, who understands those gifts, could truly see and appreciate this final miracle.

 Many of the reviews of this novel I read refer to Jeremiah Lands abilities and Reuben’s witnessing of them as “magic.” I feel this term is wrongly chosen, as miracles and magic serve two very different purposes and have two very different connotations. For me, magic is trickery or paranormal ability to manipulate objects or defy the laws of nature. Magic requires power but not belief.  Miracles on the other hand function on faith. One must first believe that the power to defy the laws of nature exist and humbly submit to the source of that power before the miracle can not only be performed but witnessed and acknowledged. This is true in the everyday miracles of our everyday lives. Are we so consumed with our own selfish pursuits and desires that we are blinded to the miracles happening around us? Swede, Reuben’s sister, has a humbling experience when Reuben discusses with her his witness of their father’s god giving abilities and refers to the saddle given to Swede by Davy. Initially, it had a tear in the horn, but after Reuben’s father handles it, the tear is completely gone. It is healed. Swede had noticed the tear, but never noticed the healing until Reuben pointed it out.

This story is heroic, tragic, lovely, and inspiring. Both the reader and Reuben must face an internal struggle of loyalty and rightness when the family sets out to find their fugitive brother, Davy. Deep inside, you want Davy to be justified because he is a good man, but you also know that what he did was wrong given the circumstance and lack of remorse. Reconciling these two conflicting values proves difficult for both the reader and Reuben. However, as the story develops and you begin to understand Reuben, Jeremiah, Davy and little Swede as demonstrations of human emotion and the overwhelming need for something to believe in, you also begin to understand the contrasts not only between good and evil, right and wrong, but those gray areas inbetween; the justice and the mercy. The necessity of the law and the need for acceptance and forgiveness. Bad things happen to good people, good people can make bad decisions, and accepting that the sun shines on both the right and the wrong; it rains on both the wicked and righteous.

I found this novel inspiring, thought provoking, at times hilarious, and forever endearing. A very suitable read.